


I can let you have the world; it's all for you

by Elkian (SuperImposed)



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Devil!Apprentice, I hope you like OCs and Nightwish, M/M, No beta we die like mne, OC-centric, Reversed End, because that is my life right now, making a songfic in the year of our lord 2020, rating for some spicy conversation but that's basically it, this is self-indulgent as hell but i only kind of Regret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:55:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27180745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperImposed/pseuds/Elkian
Summary: Nothing like finally breaking into the Devil's realm only to hear your bf singing about hopelessness and pain!
Relationships: Apprentice/Muriel (The Arcana), Muriel (The Arcana)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	I can let you have the world; it's all for you

**Author's Note:**

> Suggested listening: _Yours Is An Empty Hope_ (Endless Forms Most Beautiful album), Nightwish.
> 
> ~~I've been listening to a LOT of Nightwish while getting back into the VN and suffice to say it's having a hell of an effect.~~
> 
> (Evander is an extant original character of mine; primary context is that he used to be a professional singer, and is a very good actor and kind of petty.)

It's Asra who actually sees him, first.

He knows because it's Asra's throat in which breath first catches; Asra who stiffens, almost flinches back against his side; who doesn't react to Muriel's hand on his shoulder.

(It's - this place messes with his senses. Not blocking them, but... distorting them, almost. Like his eyes and ears can't believe what they're trying to tell him.)

They'd heard the music as soon as they'd finally opened the gate (the chains had crumbled to dust through no act of theirs; concerning).

It wasn't a song any of them had heard before - discordant, distant instruments backed or clashed, but the words were as pure and sweet as anything else they'd heard from Evander.

What they'd heard, wavering in and out of distance, had been...

" _....enjoy the scene, of screaming verbal vanity..._ " Evander, or someone too much like him, had sung, _"Churning the words, imbued in filth.......I wish you'd find the lost..."_

"Well, er," Julian had opened his mouth first, of course, eye wide as he cast about like a frightened bird, "that's, ah... concerning."

_"Grateful for the pain"_ crooned **too close** , making Julian jump, making Asra hiss, _"it proves we're alive-"_ Julian jumped back, making Portia curse as he crashed into her, nearly drowning out the next, _"Can you feel it?"_

"...Evan?" Asra had called out, eyes wide, Faust snuggling under his clothes, magic swirling between his palms, "where are you?"

A laugh.

It wasn't a kind laugh, which Muriel wasn't surprised about; 'vander could be... sharp. Very sharp. The others had bunched a little closer, Nadia's eyes narrowing as she hefted her sword.

"Evander," she called quietly, "is that you, or the Devil begging another reason to be cut down?"

Another laugh, closer, feeling like he was draped over each of their shoulders, right in the ear, low and amused.

" _I can't make you want the truth,_ " he'd almost whispered, " _it's up to you..._ "

Nadia's brow had shone like a beacon.

More distant laughter, this time. The red red red of the world shifted, almost sickeningly, until a plateau solidified under them, distant and alien skylines turning more real at the horizon.

_"Yours is an empty hope..."_

Everyone shivered as it echoed, seemingly endless.

(Muriel can't help but think of that gate, all mirror and windows between the glowing past, breaking only to _cut_ -)

"Evan!" Asra had shouted, beginning to turn frantic, "Evan, we came to help, please-"

"Aw, Asra," a very familiar voice had crooned, the mundanity of its closeness making them all jump again, "That's really _just_ like you, isn't it?"

"Ev-"

And then Asra had hissed.

Muriel turned, but whoever - whatever - was speaking-singing in Evander's voice flitted around him. Asra gasped.

This time, when he turned, he saw...

Evander leaned in and up, for all the closeness in the two's height (closer now, with-) and patted Asra's cheek gently, _carefully_ with those talons.

"Coming to rescue me," the Evander-Devil had crooned, red red eyes narrowing in that honeyed smile that he _hated_ , "how sweet." Asra's hesitant, shocked smile was wiped cold by the next words; "And as always, you're a day late and a ducat short."

He patted Asra's cheek again and pulled back, weaving through the ground like a snake. "Aw, did you _all_ come here for me? You're so brave." He tapped a sharp, sharp claw to his mouth, the blackened tip _clink_ ing against his equally sharp, sharp teeth. The other hand folded behind his curved back, his legs crossing into a pose just familiar enough for it to raise bile in Muriel's throat. "Shame you're way too late, but it's the thought that counts, right?"

"Evan..." Portia straightened up, eyes on him, "What happened to the Devil? What happened to _you_?" She was on the verge of tears, but her chin came up, sharp and steady. "Did he- are you-"

The maybe-Evander threw his horned head back and laughed.

"You're all very sweet," he said, with a cold curve of his lips, and Muriel wasn't sure this _wasn't_ his- "but," he glanced sidelong at Muriel, eyes crinkling with something closer to truth warmth, and raised a hand, "I'd like a moment alone, now."

Asra reached for him, shouting his name, but Evander had already snapped his fingers.

Half the plateau grinded sharply, everyone shouting as it lifted, before a wall sprung between Muriel and the rest; it cut off the sounds and rose and rose and _rose_.

"Wh-" he turns sharply to look at his maybe-love, eyes so wide it pulls at muscles rarely-used. "What did you..."

"It's just a little labyrinth, don't worry," Evander says; his tone is flippant, but the cold emptiness has receded some. He glances sidelong at the now-towering maze, and Muriel can see a trace of concern. "They're not in any danger... although, I wouldn't put it past Devorak the elder to _still_ somehow end up breaking both his legs like a twit."

"Hey!" from beyond the walls startled them both; 'vander raised his hand again and the maze lifted away a bit more.

Silence fell.

Evander looks at him, gleaming red eyes (not the Plague, thank whatever spirits are listening; he can take _this_ better than...) concerned, brows furrowing, mouth pulling down - not his honeyed-fake pout, but something more genuine.

"Are you angry with me, love?"

Muriel shivers, but shakes his head. "I'm... a little confused," he admits, looking down at his...

Evander chuckles, more awkward and human than the cruel thing of before.

"I may have tricked the Devil, a little."

Muriel stares at him. "You... _tricked_ him?"

'vander shrugs. "Like it's hard? Helped that he was more Lucio than not, though," he adds idly. He's approaching, swaying gently with each step, but slowly. "So now I am, for better or worse..." he looks down at his body and shrugs.

"...you're the Devil?"

"The new Devil, yes. Lucio is... regretting, at the moment. And forever," he adds, almost a hiss; again, familiar, and Muriel wraps his arms around his beloved's shoulders without thought.

He breathes easier when Evander immediately melts into it.

"Muriel..." 'vander pulls back (not away, just making space), and looks up at him. "Walk with me?"

He can't help but cast a glance at the looming labyrinth, but Evander just chuckles. "You have my word as an Arcana that there is nothing dangerous in there. I don't... I don't intend to hurt them. They're still my... our...." his expression flickers, frustrated.

Muriel takes his hand.

"...Okay. Let's walk."

They don't go far - or at least Muriel doesn't _think_ they do, but the land shifts a little around them and it's kind of dizzying. He's a little afraid to turn around, lest he spot the labyrinth-tower far in the distance (or not at all).

"This place needs some work," Evander mused as they stood at the bank of a river. Red, naturally; the whole place burned and swam red. "It's pretty garish, honestly. Needs some nature, less red, less... whatever _that_ ostentatious garbage is," he adds, gesturing to something like the Vesuvian Palace, if it have been roughly hewn from obsidian.

"Yeah."

Evander tipped his head back to look at him - even with the... legs, he was still far smaller than Muriel. Then, he turned to indicate the... mannequins? playing gondolier along the river.

" _Those_ definitely need a new look," he added, lip curling in distaste (Muriel had already spotted crushed and ripped chains lying about; smashing dolls didn't seem far-fetched). He looked up at Muriel again.

"..." Muriel rubs his thumb gently along the back of 'vander's hand, gaining a small smile from his beloved.

"Muriel..." Evander sighs, stepping closer; when he presses himself to Muriel's chest, it's perfectly natural to take the smaller man into his arms.

They stay like that a moment, embracing quietly.

(Even with his eyes shut, there's still so much **_red_**...)

"Muriel," he murmurs again, carefully pressing his cheek to Muriel's chest (those horns look sharp). "Darling... stay here with me. Please."

He blinks. Pulls back, just enough to see Evander's face, hopeful and uncertain. "Huh?"

Evander extracts an arm to gesture to the red realm. "Dolls aside, there's no one here - the Devil preferred solitude, it seems." He leans in, tugging lightly on the edge of Muriel's cloak, impish smile curling his lips. "No people. No loud city, no interlopers, just... you and me. And Inanna, of course," he adds.

Muriel's hands hover over his shoulders, next to his cheek. "I..."

He can't help but look to the labyrinth.

Evander follows his gaze silently.

His newly-clawed hand comes up to cup Muriel's cheek, so careful of his sharp edges (....isn't that how he's been, though, these last few months?), turning Muriel to look at him. "The others... our friends can visit, from time to time." He purses his lips thoughtfully. "I'll bet Asra can figure out how to prevent some uppity mortal from summoning me or popping in unannounced." He strokes Muriel's cheek, and it's so easy to let his eyes fall shut, to lean into that touch.

"There's also..." Evander continues; he stops stroking, his other hand slowly sliding up the plane of Muriel's chest, making Muriel's breath catch, his eyes wide. Evander glances away a moment, almost shyly. "I'm... much stronger, much tougher than I was," he murmurs. "I... we could lie together, and you wouldn't have to worry about hurting me anymore," he says with a tiny, hopeful smile, eyes beautiful even red, "I wouldn't- I wouldn't hurt you. Might take some practice, but I don't want to hurt you. I want you to..." his small frame shivers against Muriel's body; Muriel is frozen, barely breathing. "I want you. I want you to feel good, with me."

Muriel's breath is shaky.

"Stay," Evander continues, _pleads_. "Just us. Our own little world. You don't have to deal with anyone you don't want to." He smiles so sweetly, "We can make it a place for us."

**> Stay **   
**> Or...  
**

**Author's Note:**

> Funfax: Evander's primary theme for Arcana stuff is Nightwish's hard-to-search-for _Music_.


End file.
